1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a support for a prosthetic appliance, and, more particularly, to a support element adapted to be secured to a prosthetic penile apparatus for supporting the prosthetic apparatus and for securing the apparatus to the user's torso when used in conjunction with a belt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A penile prosthetic apparatus, usable with the apparatus of the present invention, is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,196, to the inventor hereof. The apparatus described in the '196 patent is illustrated as being secured to the torso of a user by means of a belt. The use of the belt has shortcomings which are overcome by the apparatus of the present invention.
The apparatus of the present invention comprises a relatively rigid support structure for securing a prosthetic appliance, such as disclosed in the '196 patent, to the torso of the user, while allowing a pivoting attachment between the prosthetic appliance and the support element in combination with a belt which extends around the torso of the user and fastens to both the support member and to the prosthetic appliance.
The prior art support elements comprise generally belts, such as illustrated in the '196 patent. The belts, being relatively flexible, provide a two-point attachment between the prosthetic appliance and the user. The two-point suspension comprises opposite sides of the prosthetic appliance, with the belt then extending around the torso of the user. The belt support, by itself, does not provide a sufficiently rigid connection between the user and the prosthetic appliance to allow the prosthetic appliance to be used to the best advantage of the user thereof and his partner. That is, there may be movement of the user that is not translated into a direct movement of the appliance, due to lack of a relatively rigid connection between the user and the appliance. However, with the relatively rigid or inflexible support element disclosed herein, which comprises a third suspension point between the user and the prosthetic appliance, the problems of the prior art are overcome.